STATEMENT: CAP President and CEO Neera Tanden on International Women’s Day

Washington, D.C. — To mark the 104th International Women’s Day, Center for American Progress President and CEO Neera Tanden issued the following statement:

Today’s International Women’s Day is different from last year’s. Like last year, we’ll celebrate women’s accomplishments today and reflect on how we can make gender equality a reality. But unlike last year, the moment to push for progress won’t be over by tomorrow. That’s because during the last few weeks and months, leaders have emerged who want to talk about eliminating structural barriers that undermine women in the workplace and empowering women into leadership roles. And people are listening. Americans aren’t sitting idly by, comfortable with the fact that less than 60 percent of workers are eligible for paid family leave; that the United States remains the only wealthy developed country not to guarantee paid maternity leave; and that the United States ranks 55th—behind Pakistan and Uganda—in female political representation.

Today is only a jumping-off point. We need to continue the conversation about changing our culture and taking bold policy action until gender equality in the workplace is a reality.

In honor of International Women’s Day, the Center released a number of resources that celebrate the accomplishments of women worldwide, illustrate the challenges that women still face, and suggest that by addressing women’s issues, we can simultaneously confront broader challenges: